Korean BBQ couple set in Sharosu-gil, Seoul: Gogigupneunsaramdeul

I visited Gogigupneunsaramdeul in Sharosu-gil, a spot well known as a company-dinner destination near Seoul National University Station.

It's also famous for its all-you-can-eat charcoal BBQ and great value, and this time they gave me a free serving of beehive tripe (벌집 껍데기, honeycomb-textured pork tripe) per table. You don't have to be a student for the deal — it's one serving per table for everyone.

Where is Gogigupneunsaramdeul in Sharosu-gil, and how do you get there?

Gogigupneunsaramdeul sits right on the main street of Sharosu-gil. Come out of Exit 1 of Seoul National University Station and head down the main alley — it took about 5 minutes on foot. You can also walk there from Nakseongdae Station.

How much are the lunch special and happy hour drinks?

The signboard outside showed a reasonably priced lunch special too. The lunch special runs a generous window, weekdays from 12 to 4 pm.

During happy hour from 12 to 5 pm, soju, beer, and highballs are up to half off. Soju ₩2,500, beer ₩2,500, highballs ₩2,900 to ₩3,400 — as someone who enjoys a drink, this was the best news of the day.

There were signboards outside too, showing the menu types and highlights at a glance.

Waiting time, seating and atmosphere at Gogigupneunsaramdeul

Since it's known as a company-dinner spot near Seoul National University Station, there's often a wait, but once you're inside there are more seats further back than you'd guess from outside.

With all-you-can-eat options and quality meat cuts, some waiting during peak hours seems unavoidable.

After we sat down and ordered at the kiosk, staff set out the basic side dishes for us. Extra side dishes and water are self-serve, so you just grab what you need.

There's a separate self-serve side dish bar, so you can help yourself to more anytime without feeling awkward about it — very convenient.

There was quite a lot posted on the walls too — seems like they have a lot to say to guests. Skimming through, it told the story of Gogigupneunsaramdeul, which felt like proof of their confidence in ingredients and passion for the work.

They opened in 2012 in the restaurant alley at Gwangmyeong Sageori as a raw pork belly specialty spot. Back then it wasn't charcoal-grilled like now — they were popular for a dish where kimchi and bean sprouts were grilled together on a stone plate.

What comes in the couple set and the basic side dishes?

We ordered the couple set with an extra bowl of rice — ordering the couple set gets you free Gwanaksan (관악산) steamed egg and kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew).

The basic side dishes — pickled seaweed, julienned radish, salted seafood — are all ingredients that play well alongside grilled meat.

There was a variety of dipping sauces too — Maldon salt, wasabi, tonkatsu sauce, and breadcrumbs.

Coating the meat with tonkatsu sauce and then breadcrumbs especially made it feel like eating actual tonkatsu.

Grilling pork belly, cubed pork shoulder and pork jowl over charcoal

The couple set includes pork belly, cubed pork shoulder, and pork jowl.

The pork jowl, with its beautifully layered fat, was even satisfying just for the crisp sound it made while eating.

At first the charcoal heat was so strong that while we were chatting, the pork belly got a little scorched — turns out there was actually a water bottle on the table labeled as a fire extinguisher.

After calming the flames down, it was time to focus only on the meat!

Meat grilled over charcoal until the fat renders out is delicious even just dipped in Maldon salt alone.

After that, we paired each bite with different combinations of the special side dishes provided, and each one had its own distinct nuance — a real variety of flavors bursting in the mouth.

The free kimchi jjigae and Gwanaksan steamed egg

The kimchi jjigae that came free as a basic service was this generous — really?

The steamed egg, slightly crisped at the bottom of the earthenware pot, was exactly my kind of thing.

Wrapping some pickled seaweed, which isn't something I eat often, together with plain white rice was a real treat too. Since the rice is cooked in a pressure cooker, it was glossy and shiny.

Is Gogigupneunsaramdeul worth a visit? My honest verdict

Having tried Gogigupneunsaramdeul myself, it's a well-known company-dinner spot near Seoul National University Station popular for its seasoned short ribs and pork belly in Sharosu-gil — a great BBQ restaurant for gatherings or meals in a relaxed atmosphere.

With an all-you-can-eat option and a self-serve side dish bar, it's also a huge hit with students.

• Address: 서울특별시 관악구 관악로14길 70 효림빌딩 1층 106호
• Hours: Monday 16:00–23:00 / Tuesday–Sunday 12:00–23:00
• Key amenities and services: Reservations available, free/paid parking and in-store parking available, Wi-Fi provided, groups welcome